One Man Condemned
by Wolfwind97
Summary: Sequel to 'One Man Army'. A year after Derrick Treaty saved Redmont, he must face a new challenge. The Araluen citizens have turned their back on him after Derrick was convicted for a crime he did not commit. Now on the run, Derrick must choose between two things: keep running for his life or turn around to attack the people he knew in order to survive. What will he choose?
1. Prologue: The Conviction

**A/N: So, if you haven't read ****One Man Army****, you need to read it before you read this one. Future chapters will be longer, this is just the prologue! I must thank all my wonderful reviewers, alereters (if that's even a word), and favoriters (also, if that's even a word). You all gave me the inspiration to write the last one and start this one! This is the sequel to ****One Man Army**** and I hope you enjoy it. Please review! Also, I bet most of you weren't expecting this... **

**(Derrick)**

I am the hero of Redmont Fief and a hero should not have to be saved. What about me, then? I need rescued, but how can I do that when I am two steps from Hell, condemned to die by the hands of my own people? I am running through the forest, feeling the dogs' breath on my heels. The faster I go, the more tired I become... The closer I come to defeat. I look behind me, seeing the torches in the darkness of the night. My side is hurting, the dogs are barking, and my pursuers are shouting at me to give up. I don't want to give up; I want to make it out of this mess alive. Blood drips down my arm from a gash that is bleeding heavily and lands on the leaves. I know I am leaving a trail, but I have to get away from my pursuers first, I can tend to my arm later. My left leg buckles from exhaustion, but I manage to catch myself. However, a dog nips my ankle, giving me even more encouragement to run for my life. Why am I afraid of dogs? When they are trained to kill and you have no weapons, I'd like to see you try to defend yourself. My weapons were confiscated days ago, or was it weeks? The only current event of my life was running and fearing. I fear being caught, because I know I will be killed on the spot. I run, because that is the only way I can survive. The one thought that is probably running through your mind is 'what the crap happened'? Where can I start? Okay, let's start at the beginning of all this mess...

***Two Weeks Earlier***

The sky was painted red from the rays of the sun trying to beam through the clouds. A constant breeze swept through the countryside, making the tall grass ripple like water when a stone impacts the surface. The birds sang in harmony, their song sweet and gentle. Water flowing from the creek added to the noise, making everything peaceful. I listened to nature's song as I shot my bow, which I nearly mastered, by the way. The sun was setting now and I realized I had been shooting my bow for over an hour, so I stopped and walked back to the cabin. Gilan was there, even though it was still my parent's cabin. He claimed to stay to help get Redmont Fief back in order, but that was nearly a year ago, and he was still there. I walked through the door and put my bow in my room, then sat down on the bed. Finally, I jumped up and walked back outside, wanting to see Melody, the girl I love. We became a couple after the battle for Redmont and I saw her often. My parents and Gilan said she could be a distraction, but I still held the knowledge of what the enemy army taught me a year ago. Those skills seemed to be my only instinct and I relied on them more often than not. Sure, assassains held these same skills, but I was using mine for a good cause; I wasn't killing people for money, I was protecting my kingdom.

The walk to Melody's was not a long one, but night fell before I reached her house. I knocked on the door and her mother answered.

"Hello, Derrick." Sarah greeted.

I nodded my head respectively, "Hello, Sarah. How are you today?"

She smiled, "I'm fine, thanks." She stepped aside to let me through the door, "Please, come in. Melody is in her room."

"Thank you." I replied and stepped through the door, heading to Melody's room. I knocked on the closed door, but received no answer. Quietly, I opened the door and saw she was asleep. I smiled and sat at the edge of her bed. I kissed her forehead and whispered, "Good night." She smiled in her sleep and rested her hand on mine. I sat there for a few minutes, then rose to my feet, walking out and shutting the door quietly. After telling Sarah good-bye, I walked tot he creek where my friends and I often stayed. There was nobody there, so I sat on the bank for while, just listening to the water and creatures of the night. Then, I began to make my way home. I walked into my room and shut my door, but I noticed something was different. I looked at my bow and saw a few arrows were missing. _Gilan must have borrowed them. _I thought, then went to see what mother, father, and Gilan were doing. They were all sitting by the fire, talking about the mission they had been on when they were apprentices. I sat and listened for a while, but they never asked me any questions. I never told them everything that happened when I was captured along with the others by the enemy army. I didn't tell them about the torture or what the training was like, but I did talk about everything else. In my case, it was a regular hostage situation except I was being trained to fight for an army without my consent. Will, Halt, and every other Ranger shared their experiances to their closest friends and family, but they had been on countless dangerous missions. That was my first and it wasn't even an authentic mission, because King Duncan didn't assign it to me. I knew my friends and family wanted to ask me questions, but I wasn't ready to tell anyone, the details would never get out. I sighed sleepily and told them all good-night before heading to bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I went to sleep.

The next morning, I was woke up by multiple footsteps stomping against the floor. I sat up just as knights came through my door. One tried to grab me, but I jumped out of the way. "What's going on?" I asked, confused.

"Don't make this harder than it already is, kid." Another knight said. "Just come with us. The king needs to see you."

I was cautious, "If I refuse?"

"We will take you there by force if we must." The knight stated.

I thought for a moment, then my mother, father, and Gilan intervened. "Why does the king need to see him?" Father asked.

"You'll find out when we get there. I'm sorry, Ranger Treaty, but these are the orders we have received." The knight remarked, then turned to me. "Please, just come with us."

Even though I had a bad feeling about it, I nodded my head. "Okay, I'll go with you." I walked toward them and they surrounded me to make sure I didn't escape. They escorted me out the cabin, through the streets, and to the castle. We walked through the throne room doors and was faced with Baron Arald and King Duncan. I walked up to them, dropped to one knee, and bowed my head respectively.

"Rise," King Duncan commanded and I did so.

"What's going on, King Duncan? Why did you send for me?" I asked, curoius.

The man had a blank expression on his face, "What did you do yesterday?"

I was confused, "I trained during the day, went to see Melody when the sun set, and went to the nearby creek before going home."

"Did you stop anywhere else?" He asked.

I shook my head, "No, I went straight home."

"Derrick... We found your arrows at the site. Tell us what you did." The king stated.

"What I did?" I repeated, "What did I do?"

Anger blazed in his eyes, "You killed five knights! You shot them down and stabbed them with those weapons we allowed you to keep!"

I was confused, "I don't know what you're talking about, sir!" I remembered the enemy weapons he allowed me to keep, because I used them better than the saxe knives, but I hadn't touched them in months. They were kept in a cupboard. "I didn't kill anybody!"

The king held up his hand, "Before one of the knights died, he said your name. You were the one who killed them. The evidence points to you-"

"The evidence is wrong!" I yelled, but he ignored me.

He continued, "And considering your past, it's not a surprise you killed your comrades. You have been trained as an assassain and you couldn't resist the urge to kill-"

I interrupted him again, "You're wrong! I haven't touched those weapons in months! I'm a Ranger's apprentice, not an assassasin! Why would I murder people in cold blood?"

"You tell me, Derrick." King Duncan stated and there was nothing I could really say.

"I swear I didn't kill them. You must believe me!" I tried, then realized I wasn't getting anywhere; his mind was already made up.

King Duncan sighed, a sad look in his eyes. "I had high hopes for you, Derrick, but after this... I have no respect for you at all. Derrick Treaty, you have committed a crime, therefore, I have no choice." He paused for a moment, as if rethinking his next words. Then, making up his mind, his eyes met mine. "Your punishment is death."


	2. The First Step To Defeat

**A/N: Disclaimer, I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. **

**(Will)**

My blood ran cold at the King's statement. "Kind Duncan, this must be a misunderstanding."

The King shook his head, "The evidence points to Derrick. I'm sorry, Will, but I must protect this kingdom regardless the cost."

"By sentencing my son to death?" I asked, angered.

"He's an assassain, Will, when will you finally see that?" He asked,

My hand clenched into a fist, "He's not an assassain! He's a Ranger of-"

He interrupted me, "He is a traitor to Araluen, an enemy." He looked at the knights surrounding Derrick, "Take him away. He'll be put to death at sunset."

I ran toward them, "Don't-" A few knights tried to block my path, but I shoved them to the side. However, more blocked me and I watched as my son was dragged out of the room. "Derrick!"

**(Horace)**

As much as I hated to, I threw Derrick into the cell and locked the door. While I was locking the door, the other knights left and I pretended to drop the keys to give me some time. When they were gone, Derrick spoke. "Horace, I didn't do this. I swear on my life I didn't."

"You committed a crime, Derrick. You brought this on yourself." I stated, making sure no other knights were around.

Derrick looked stunned, "How can you say that? Horace, you know me. I would never-"

I turned my back on him, "With the skills you have and the blood that runs through your family, you can get out of here if you truly want to. Your father always gets out of trouble like this and, like father, like son. Do whatever you can to get out of here, Derrick. Run away as far as you can and never come back. If you do, I won't be able to give you a second chance to escape, they'll kill you on the spot."

"Horace..." Derrick stopped and bowed his head. I felt sorry for him in that moment.

I walked away, "I'm sorry I can't help you anymore than this. Good-bye, Derrick, and good luck." I turned the corner, leaving the young, condemned Ranger behind the cell door.

**(King Duncan)**

Sunset arrived quickly and I knew it was time. After a long argument with Will, Alyss, ang Gilan, I was finally left to think about what I had done. I told myself I was protecting the kingdom by killing Derrick, but something wanted me to not kill the young Ranger. I thought he would be valuable once he healed and he looked like he was going to be a great Ranger, but... I sighed and ordered five of the knights to bring Derrick to me. My sword was at my side, as if ready to be tainted with the blood of somebody I thought I knew. A few minutes later, the knights came back, breathless.

"Sir, Derrick Treaty has escaped." One reported.

Shock coursed through me, "What? Find him immediately!" They nodded and left, leaving me alone to wonder how this happened. I sat down in my chair and put my head in my hands. The chamber door opened and I glanced up, immediately lifting my sword once I recognized who it was. "I was going to kill you quickly, but you pull a stunt like this?"

Derrick stepped forward, weaponless, "What did you do with my weapons?"

I took a step closer, the sword still raised, "If you take a step closer, I won't hesitate to kill you."

The young boy stopped and sighed, "I didn't-"

"I don't want to hear it!" I yelled. "Guards!" My voice seemed to carry through the corridors, because I heard loud footsteps a minute later.

Derrick heard this too and looked behind him, just in time, to see six knights charge through the door. He turned back to me, "King Duncan, please, hear me out."

"Surround him." I commanded the knights, and they obeyed, forming a circle around Derrick, who just closed his eyes.

"Some of my weapons were missing yesterday, I never used them, I swe-"

I interrupted him, "Whoever kills this assassain will be greatly rewarded."

The knights charged forward and one swung his sword, making a deep gash in Derrick's arm. The boy fell to the ground and rolled to avoid being stabbed. The same knight tried to stab him again, but Derrick swung his foot and kicked the knight's hand, sending the sword clattering to the ground a few feet away. Derrick lunged for it, but, as soon as he was about to grab the hilt, a foot kicked the sword and a sword stabbed down toward Derrick's stomach. The blade sliced through his side, making him flinch painfully. The blade was stuck in the ground after going through Derrick's side, rendering the teen unable to move. Blood pooled onto the floor in a small puddle, pain showed in the assassain's eyes. The knights had him restrained now and I put the blade of my sword on Derrick's chest. His eyes were defiant and, in and instant, he moved his side. I could hear the skin rip and the action stunned the knights. They lost their grip on him and Derrick rolled away and rose to his feet, holding his side, blood seeping through his fingers.

"King Duncan..." He said through clenched teeth, "I'm going to find whoever murdered the knights... Right now, you believe I killed them, but..." He looked at me, determination burning in his eyes. "Someday I will be redeemed in your mind." He ran throught doors and the knights charged after him, the whole room seemed to be lingering on Derrick's final words. I didn't move until a knight came back.

"Sir, shall we send out the dogs?" He asked.

I nodded, "Yes. Do whatever is necessary to kill Derrick Treaty."

**(Derrick)**

I ran through the woods, jumped over small creeks and logs, ducked overhanging tree branches, and dodged trees and briar patches. Adrenaline coursed through my body like a wildfire and I ran faster than ever even though I was wounded. Everything was a blur. I could hear the dogs chasing me and my pursuers yelling, the birds flying into the air, the noise my fast feet were making, my heart pounding in my chest, thunder raging in the distance and I realized I was running directly into a storm. I trip and a dog nips me on the ankle, making me notice how close the dogs are. With a new speed, I dash away further away from my pursuers. The first drops of rain fall until I can barely see ten feet in front of me. I slipped in the mud and fell on my wounded side. In that instant, a dog jumped on me, sinking it's teeth into my shoulder, snarling. It jerked it's head and a loud pop seemed to echo off the trees. I tried to shove the dog off, but it's teeth were too deep in my shoulder. I knew how these dogs were trained, any moment, the savage fangs would dig into my throat. I twisted my head and saw a tree branch lying nearby. I moved my feet to get closer, which was hard considering I had a ninty pound dog on me with it's teeth in my shoulder. When I felt it's teeth begin to ease up, I grabbed the branch and swung it toward the animal's head. The branch shattered on impact, but the blow was hard enough to stun the dog and knock it away. I managed to get to my feet and run again, the dog's breath still on my heels. Thanks to the dog, my pursuers were very close now, some even throwing weapons at me. I ran as fast as I could through the blinding rain. I stopped just in time to stop myself from going over a cliff. I looked for another way, but my pursuers arrived. They surrounded me and I looked back at the edge of the cliff. I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender. Three men stepped forward and I noticed a few in the crowd was Horace, Halt, and Gilan. They looked at me, acknowledging my defeat. I bowed my head, looked up, and barely smiled at them. As soon as two of the men tried to grab my arms, I knocked the hands away and jumped backward. Falling through the air, I had just enough time to turn around and face the raging river water before plummetting through the black surface.


	3. Why Won't You Take Me, Death?

**A/N: No author's note this time, just a story. I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

_**"To the right,**_

_**To the left,**_

_**We will fight,**_

_**To the death!**_

_**To the edge of the Earth,**_

_**It's a brave new world from the last to the first!" **_

_**-This is War by Thirty Seconds to Mars**_

**(Halt)**

I watched as Derrick jumped off the cliff and, even though I wanted to help, I just had to look over the edge. The black water churned and was flooded by the downpour. In my heart, I knew there was no way Derrick could have survived that. I sighed and looked at Gilan and Horace, both heartbroken and watching for their friend. There was no sign of him. The others went to check along the riverbanks further downstream and we followed. We searched for hours, but did not find a trace of the boy. Eventually, we figured he was dead and floating along the river, but I didn't want to search and find out. If Derrick was dead, I didn't want to be the one to find his body.

We all returned to the castle and reported to King Duncan, who was frustrated. "Derrick Treaty is most likely dead. That's all we can hope for." The king stated and dismissed all of us.

"Halt, Gilan, Horace." Just as we walked into the corridor, I saw Will coming toward us. "Well? Did he get away?"

Horace and Gilan stared at the floor, but I looked Will straight in the eyes. "Will, he jumped into the river next to Beltony Falls. It was flooded and... we didn't see him resurface."

Will looked like he had been punched in the gut, "What? No, Halt, please tell me the truth." When I didn't say anything else, the impact of what I told him hit Will hard. He clenched his hands into fists and tried to fight the grief. Even though it wasn't like me, I hugged my former apprentice as he came close to tears. "Is there any way..."

"I don't know." I stated sadly, "It's not likely, Will. I'm sorry."

"So, we're supposed to accept he's dead?" He asked.

I sighed, "King Duncan has proclaimed him dead. If he's alive, maybe it will be better this way." I grieved too because Derrick was like a grandson to me, but I still leaned on the chance that the Ranger may still be alive.

**(Derrick)**

Cold, exhausted, hurt, lungs burning, heart pounding slowly in my ears and vibrating throughout my body, the darkness consuming my mind... _I'm drowning. I have to do something... _I couldn't move and my side slammed against another rock, forcing more of the precious oxygen from my lungs. My head felt like there was tons of pressure on it and my lungs screamed in agony. _It would be easier to just pass out and drown. _I was close to doing that as I hit another rock, but I still held my breath. I barely opened my eyes, but there was only darkness. _I can't even tell where the surface is. _Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to inhale to stop my lungs from burning. I breathed in... air. I gulped mouthfuls of air and opened my eyes completely. I was lying on the side of the riverbank, halfway in the water. I crawled onto the ground slowly and vomitted the muddy water from my stomach and coughed to clear my lungs.

I lay there coughing, retching for a few minutes then collapsed on my back, exhausted. Immediately, I felt the pain from the multiple bruises and open wounds. They burned like fire and I figured some were already infected from the filthy water. I took in a breath as deep as I could, then crawled to my knees, but I just fell to the ground. _Why? Why do they think I attacked those knights? Even though my weapons were supposedly there, doesn't King Duncan and the rest of them know me better than that? Why would my own people try to kill me? Why, why, why, why... _I punched the muddy ground in frustration and confusion. _Am I really just an assassain to them? _Anger coursed through me and I tried to stand again, but failed. Eventually, I gave up and laid where I was, the rain falling onto me. Then, the cold set in, my muscles ached, wounds burned, and my vision went black.

_"With the skills you have and the blood that runs through your family, you can get out of here if you truly want to. Your father always gets out of trouble like this and, like father, like son. Do whatever you can to get out of here, Derrick. Run away as far as you can and never come back._" Horace's words rang through my mind and I opened my eyes again. The storm had yet to pass and a series of continuous coughs made me loose my breath. I tried to move, but it felt like I was paralyzed, a corpse ready to rot. I sighed and closed my eyes, wondering if my suffering was ever going to end.

Pain, weakness, helplessness... Every negative emotion crowded my heart and mind no matter how hard I tried to supress them. I was alone in the darkness, alone in my heart, alone in my soul... alone in reality. When my body finally went numb, I accpeted the unavoidable fact that I was going to die. My wounds were infected, the fight with the river weakened me, sickness threated my body, and all the hope I had faded into nothingness long ago; I was just waiting for Death to invite me into his home, for I was knocking at his door. The simple act of breathing became difficult and laborous as my lungs seemed to freeze from the cold yet burn from the sickness. I could no longer open my eyes. _Hurry up, Death. I've spent too long waiting. Why are you making me suffer like this? I've lost everything, my family, friends, the kingdom's trust... How can I still be alive when I've lost that much? How much more can I take? How much longer will I have to wait to die? Which breath will be my final one?_

**(Will)**

_My son... my only son is probably dead. Just because he was framed for murder. _I thought as I packed the items I would need. _How can people believe Derrick done that? He redeemed himself when he saved the entire kingdom long ago. How can they still believe he's an assassain? _Before I knew it, I had finished packing what I needed and walked outside to get Tug.

"Where do you think you're going?" A voice asked behind me.

I turned to face my former mentor, "What are you guys doing here?" Halt, Horace, Gilan, and Alyss faced me with serious expressions.

Horace replied, "We're going to help you find Derrick, of course. After all, he's important to us, too."

"No, you can't. If you come with me, you'll be punished for treason." I stated.

Gilan shrugged, "Who cares about treason? Let's just go find my apprentice."

I replied, "I'll be faster on my own."

"And, yet, it will be more dangerous if you go alone. Besides, he's my son, too." Alyss stated and I knew she would not take 'no' for an answer.

I sighed, "Honestly, you all can be so stubborn. Alright, but just know you don't have to go."

"Of course we do." Horace stated, "After all, we can't let you have all the fun."

With a grin, I saddled Tug and the rest got their horses. We rode toward Beltony Falls, the last place my son was seen alive. In my heart, I was glad I wasn't doing this alone. My friends and wife was with me and it seemed like we were reliving the past. I knew they would do anything for me, just like I would do anything for them. We rode into the morning sun and I prayed we would find Derrick alive somewhere.


	4. Falling Inside the Black

**A/N: Here's another chapter. I hope you all look forward to this... **

**"Falling in the black,**

**Slipping through the cracks,**

**Falling to the depths, **

**Can I ever go back?**

**Dreaming of the way it used to be,**

**Can you hear me?"**

**-"Falling in the Black" by Skillet**

**(Derrick)**

I remember the cold, the numb fear that spread throughout my body and paralyzed my limbs, or was it just from the frigid temperature of night? Slowly, I opened my eyes and noticed I was warm. My vision was blurry at first and I waited for my eyes to adjust. It was night and there was a fire a few feet away from me. _How did I get here? Who brought me here? _I tried to sit up, but found I couldn't.

"I wouldn't move just yet if I were you." A voice said through the shadow of the darkness.

My instincts screamed for me to turn around and face the stranger as quickly as possible. However, my body didn't. Instead, I slowly turned my head and looked at the stranger, "Who are you?"

The man did not move, "It doesn't matter. What matters is who you are."

I was confused, "What do you mean?"

"Are you really saying you don't remember me? After all, we fought in a war alongside each other until you betrayed us." The man stated angrily. It dawned on me in that instant. I tried to get up, but I was too weak. I just fell back again, cursing myself for not being more careful and hating the situation I was in. The man laughed and I heard a sword being pulled from a scabbard. The man walked to me and put the tip of the sword at my throat. "You thought we wouldn't reform? As long as there is one strong assassain left, there will be a leader. As long as there are two, there will be a leader and a subordinate. If you have more than that, you have an organization."

I glared at him, "You killed those knights, didn't you."

The man smiled, "Indeed, but right now it only matters that the people of Redmont think you did. After all it was your weapons. It all seemed a bit too easy, sneaking into your house and stealing this-" Another man came up with my bow in one hand, an arrow on the string. The leader nodded and the man rose the bow and pulled back on the string. "As it turns out, the men I have with me have matured into something greater than just a normal assassain. They can do everything a Ranger can, more actually. And rank higher than any assassain. Tell me, Derrick Treaty, did you really think you could get rid of us? That you could go back to living a normal life? You killed our boss and sabotaged our plans; you'll pay for it. I'm not going to be one of those dumb, cocky people who tells a person his plan before attempting to kill him. In fact, I'll kill you right here where you are, regardless if I tell you anything."

I tried to think of something to do, but nothing came to me that would ensure my safety. So, I just went with plan 'worth taking the risk'. Adrenaline made me move and I kicked the leader's feet from under him and dodged to the side just as the archer released the arrow. I lunged to my feet and attempted to run into the confines of the forest, but I was surrounded by more people. Three of them shoved me to the ground and I rose from the dirt instantly, searching for a way out. The leader charged at me, his face red with anger and humiliation. "Bastard!" He swung the sword and I sidestepped, then swung my fist at him. I was too slow and he grabbed my wrist, broke it and slammed the sword hilt into my jaw. My teeth clicked loudly and I felt blood fill my mouth from my teeth and bitten tongue. I backed away and spat out the blood, waiting for the leader's next attack. The leader stabbed the sword into the ground and held up a hand, then let it fall. I heard the _thunk _of an arrow being released and the meaty sound an arrow makes when it is slammed into a body.

"No!"

***Three Days Earlier***

**(Gilan)**

We searched the riverbanks for hours and I began to wonder if Derrick was truly dead. If he drowned in the river. My heart was heavy, just like every heart of my companions. Derrick was not an assassain, why couldn't everyone see that? What made King Duncan make that decision? Will I ever see him again? Is he out there right now, dying of his wounds or the cold the night brings? Is he afraid? Has he completely given up? Is he miles away now, searching for the people who killed the knights? Or was he in the river somewhere, a mindless corpse awaiting to be ate by any predator when he washed up on the bank? I shook my head, disregarding the last thought. I wasn't going to believe my apprentice was dead. He'd been through too much for someone as young as him. Briefly, I noticed I sounded more like a father than a mentor, but Halt was like that, too. Finally, I was able to understand how Halt saw Will and I as sons. It was nearly the same as Will and I seeing ourselves as brothers. Even though we aren't of any blood relation, the connection is still there. Halt walked alongside me, searching for any trace of the young Ranger apprentice.

"Halt, how did you handle it?" I asked.

We continued walking even as Halt asked, "Handle what?"

I sighed, "When Will and I were your apprentices, we got into a lot of dangerous situations throughtout the years. I know you worried, but how did you handle it?"

Halt nodded his head in understanding, "You handle it because you know if you loose control over the situation, you'll be of no help. You handle it because you believe everything will turn out alright. I understand your fear, Gilan. After having two apprentices, it's like having children of your own. Even if they are doing okay, you still worry about them, about their near future. Even though you and Will were annoying at times, I still worried and you two still turned out to be fine Rangers."

I had to smile a bit at the last part, but it fell immedately. "But, we weren't sentenced to death like Derrick is. We weren't alone all the time."

"What makes you think Derrick is alone now? He has everyone of us searching for him and more back at home waiting for his arrival. Are you really going to tell me you question your apprentice's own survival?" Halt asked.

I looked down at the ground, "Derrick's been through Hell and back, I know he can survive. But..." I clenched my fists, "At one point, we will all face a situation that will kill us, Halt. It's just a matter of questioning when or how. It could be Derrick's time now. Don't you see? What if he's dead and this whole thing turns out to be for nothing? The real killers will never be caught and Derrick would have died for nothing! All because he was set up!" It took me a moment to realize there was salty water trickling down my face, but it wasn't raining.

Halt was about to reply when he was interrupted by Alyss yelling over to us, "We found him!"


	5. Into the Past, Back Into Reality

**AN: Yeah, been a while. I'm not wasting any more time with an author's note. **

**(Will)**

As soon as I saw the body lying among the tall weeds, my heart seemed to stop and my blood ran cold. I stared at the lifeless body for a moment, then registered the fact that it could be my son. "Alyss, tell Halt and Gilan." My wife ran along the riverbank until she could finally see them and yelled for them to come. While she was doing that, Horace and I went to the lifeless body and pushed aside the weeds covering the person's face. It was Derrick.

We crouched next to him and I rested my hand on his shoulder, "Derrick." I shook his shoulder gently, "Hey, get up." He didn't move. In fact, his chest barely rose and fell. His face was pale and his lips had a purple tint. I heard the sound of footsteps approaching and Alyss returned. I knew Halt and Gilan were on their way. While I was distracted with the footsteps, I finally realized that my son's chest no longer moved.

Instantly, panic formed in my chest. "Derrick." I shook his shoulder harder. "Derrick!" He still did not respond. When Horace felt for a pulse, fear crossed his features: there was not one. Instinctively relying on my training, I started to push on his chest in an attempt to get his heart pumping again. I prayed that he would start breathing any second, that the life would rush back into his lifeless body.

Alyss was on her knees beside me, her hands clamped over her mouth. Tears fell down her face as she watched me trying to bring our son back to life. After she recovered from her shock, she went to Derrick's head and pinched his nose shut with two fingers and began to force oxygen into his lungs. Horace sat there, hoping against hope that the young teen would soon begin breathing again.

Halt and Gilan finally arrived, they froze at the scene. They moved closer, but remained still after seeing there was nothing they could help with; they could only hope and pray for a good outcome. Gilan stared at his apprentice, dread, fear, and sorrow filling his eyes. They continued to watch, waiting to see what the outcome was going to be.

Minutes later, Derrick was still lifeless: a former shell of what he had once been. Tears stung my eyes, blurred my vision, and streamed down my face. I heard somebody release a bellow filled with unimaginable grief; I finally realized that it was me and I was still pushing on Derrick's chest. Alyss sobbed and eventually stopped forcing oxygen into her son's lungs. Horace let go of the teen's wrist, in which he had been checking for a pulse. Halt and Gilan hung their heads, looking down at the floor; both had tear-filled eyes.

Horace walked over to me, "Will, you-" His voice cracked from sadness for a moment. "You can stop now."

I whispered, "I can't." When Horace tried to pull me away from my son, I hit his hand away. "I can't!" I pushed on Derrick's chest again, "He's my son. I can't. I'm supposed to-" In that moment, I broke completely. A sob racked my body and my throat seemed to close tight. I hung my head and cried with all I had in me. From that moment, I began to live in the past. A past that held Derrick with no danger. Everybody was safe from harm.

_(Flashbacks)_

_"Daddy, watch this!" A three-year-old Derrick said as he picked up a pebble from the ground and tossed it into the stream. The pebble skipped across the water's surface and eventually sank beneath it. My son smiled from ear to ear, happiness shone in his eyes._

_I smiled and went to him, "That's great! You're better than I am now!"_

_Derrick laughed, "I not that good, Daddy. You're the best!"_

_"Looks like I have some competition, then." I replied and threw some pebbles I had in my hand over the surface of the water._

_Alyss and I walked through the town where everything seemed peaceful. Commotion raged up ahead and I saw a person running from one of the food stands. The owner of the stand yelled, "Somebody get that thief!" I looked at Alyss, who nodded, then ran after the thief. The person was fast, but I saw them stumble and they began to chase somebody around a corner. When I turned that corner, I saw that somebody had grabbed the food the thief we made another turn, I realized we were running to the place where all of this had began, so I went through an alley to shorten the distance. _

_As soon as I exited the alley, the thief ran by me. I grabbed his collar, making him slam into the ground. A few knights walked over to me and restrained the theif. I turned toward the person the thief was in pursuit of. "Why does it not surprise me that you managed to get involved in this?"_

_"You know me, dad." My thirteen-year-old son stated with a shrug. He held up the bag of food, "Anyway, I'm taking this back to the owner. Oh, and I'm going to hang out with Robert and Clark later, so I'll be home late. See you later!" Before I could say anything else, he took off running toward the owner of the food. _

_The knights grinned, "You have your hands full with that kid, don't you Ranger. It doesn't matter, though, he'll probably become a Ranger like you, if not an even better one." They hauled the thief to his feet, "Thanks for all the help, Ranger. Thank the kid for us, too." They left and I was left alone to wonder if Derrick was really going to follow in my footsteps. _

_When the battle ended with the enemy's defeat, the warriors standing behind me lapsed into silence for those that had perished. Gilan, Halt, and Horace stood beside me. We looked at the bloody battlefield, searching for any sign of life when there wasn't any. Behind me, Melody stared to the left. "Derrick?" At the sound of the name, I turned to look where she was. "Derrick?" She asked again, joy lighting her features for a moment. When lightning flashed across the sky, the blood on Derrick's clothes was visible. Somebody yelled, "Get the healer!"_

_As soon as I saw it, I ran toward him, with others following behind me. I ran as fast as I could, trying to reach him. Finally, Derrick stopped walking and swayed on his feet. When I reached him, my son collapsed into my arms. I pressed my hand against the wound, "Derrick... you're going to be okay." His breathing was raspy and each breath was small. When his eyes began to close, I yelled at him and tried to shake his shoulder to get him to stir. He didn't. _

_A Ranger offered their cloak and I wrapped it tightly around the wound, then picked my son up and carried him toward the castle. I was exhausted, but I didn't care. The only thing I cared about was getting Derrick help. Time seemed to go by in a blur as I sat beside Derrick's bed, waiting to see if he was going to make it. Questions about Derrick's injury roamed as people wondered where he was stabbed. His other injuries proved that he had fought with everything in him. Gilan told Halt, Alyss, Horace, Melody, and I what Derrick's plan had been. When a scouting party searched for any survivors in the surrounding area, the enemy leader and a few of his accomplices were found dead, the leader with a knife lodged in his head._

_Days later, I still remained by my son's side. He was still unconscious and on the verge of death, his face pale and he was unresponsive. I rested my elbows on the edge of the bed and bowed my head, clutching my son's hand. Alyss done the same with his other hand. "Dad? Mom?"_

_(End Flashbacks)_

I was brought back into reality. To me, it seemed like those two words were spoken out loud. "Dad? Mom?" I looked at my son and saw he had his eyes open. He looked at Gilan, Halt, and Horace, "What are you guys doing here?"

Alyss hugged Derrick, sobs erupting from her chest. At first I thought he was too weak to hold her back, but he somehow managed to put an arm around her. When she pulled away, my son looked at me. "What happened?"

"You used a lifetime's worth of luck, that's what happened." I said as I wrapped my arms around him. I was glad that he was alive, regardless of the situation he was in. Somehow, I managed to forget about Derrick being a condemned teen. Right now, I only saw him as my injured son. I only thought about what we could do to get rid of the infection I knew infested his wounds. He would be back to the old Derrick, but it was going to take some time.


End file.
